'Communism' is a very broad strand of thought, Stalinism, with its emphasis on authoritarian violence as a strategy for achieving a communist society, should not be seen as the sole representative of such thought.

The only thing that really unites the different strands of Communist thought is that they see the collective management of common goods to be a goal worth working for.

Lenin, Stalin, Mao and others claimed to believe that imposing a centralised authoritarian state over all of society would be the best way to transition towards a communist society; even they didn't think that they were actually living under communism. They were of course wrong; such a transition never occurred and they instead caused a great deal of suffering to millions of people.

However, the failure of the authoritarian communist projects of the 20th Century does not seem like a good enough reason to me to abandon achieving the goal of a society in which common goods are managed collectively, instead of by a small group of elites. Rather, it seems to be that all such failures have proven is that a non-democratic, centralised state bureaucracy is not a viable strategy for achieving communism and is more likely to lead to widespread repression.

If the failure of the communist projects of the 20th century should lead us to abandon the goal of communism, then perhaps we should abandon the ideas of liberty, equality and fraternity because of the slaughter that occurred during the reign of the Terror of the French Revolution.

'Communism' is a very broad strand of thought, Stalinism, with its emphasis on authoritarian violence as a strategy for achieving a communist society, should not be seen as the sole representative of such thought.

The only thing that really unites the different strands of Communist thought is that they see the collective management of common goods to be a goal worth working for.

Lenin, Stalin, Mao and others claimed to believe that imposing a centralised authoritarian state over all of society would be the best way to transition towards a communist society; even they didn't think that they were actually living under communism. They were of course wrong; such a transition never occurred and they instead caused a great deal of suffering to millions of people.

However, the failure of the authoritarian communist projects of the 20th Century does not seem like a good enough reason to me to abandon achieving the goal of a society in which common goods are managed collectively, instead of by a small group of elites. Rather, it seems to be that all such failures have proven is that a non-democratic, centralised state bureaucracy is not a viable strategy for achieving communism and is more likely to lead to widespread repression.

If the failure of the communist projects of the 20th century should lead us to abandon the goal of communism, then perhaps we should abandon the ideas of liberty, equality and fraternity because of the slaughter that occurred during the reign of the Terror of the French Revolution.

The different sūtras in accord with the emptiness
taught by the Sugata are definitive in meaning;
One can understand that all of those Dharmas in
which a sentient being, individual, or person are taught are provisional in meaning.

No movement has been more hostile to all forms of spirituality than Communism. For a good one volume survey of it, this old classic was reissued recently - The Naked Communist by Skousen.

No true, Christianity is the most hostile, historically speaking. Then Islam.

Christianity surely oppressed all native religious traditions of Europe, extinguishing them in the process, and continued to do so in the new world. Some would thank Christianity for stopping human sacrifice in Europe, but the pre-Christian Romans pretty much opposed it already, and would have ended it anyway.

The different sūtras in accord with the emptiness
taught by the Sugata are definitive in meaning;
One can understand that all of those Dharmas in
which a sentient being, individual, or person are taught are provisional in meaning.

The different sūtras in accord with the emptiness
taught by the Sugata are definitive in meaning;
One can understand that all of those Dharmas in
which a sentient being, individual, or person are taught are provisional in meaning.

An exception that proves the general rule of Xtians being supportive of each other.

The Hundred Year War? Northern Ireland? If we want to talk about "religious" wars.

What about World War One and The Second World War? That was Christians versus Christians too if I am not mistaken?

"My religion is not deceiving myself."Jetsun Milarepa 1052-1135 CE

"Butchers, prostitutes, those guilty of the five most heinous crimes, outcasts, the underprivileged: all are utterly the substance of existence and nothing other than total bliss."The Supreme Source - The Kunjed Gyalpo
The Fundamental Tantra of Dzogchen Semde

An exception that proves the general rule of Xtians being supportive of each other.

Oh sure, because that is why the Reformation happened. Albigensian crusade, and so on. Not to mention the suppression of every old world pagan religion from the time of Constantine on.

Talk about Red herrings - to coin a phrase.

You claimed that Christians did not oppress other Christians. This shows you have a misconception about the bloody, internecine struggles that have characterized Christianity since it emerged into dominance in the Roman Empire.

The different sūtras in accord with the emptiness
taught by the Sugata are definitive in meaning;
One can understand that all of those Dharmas in
which a sentient being, individual, or person are taught are provisional in meaning.

Xtian squabbles, bloody or otherwise has little to do with the modern Communist movement's annihilation of any sort of spiritual living. The countless Xtian sects are still Xtian, even if critical of many of their brethren.

Communism kills & extinguishes the spirit in mankind more effectively & deliberately than any other movement.

If you want to rant against Islam or Xtianity, then start another thread.

Whatever one frequently thinks and ponders upon, that will become the inclination of his mind. -- MN 19

Xtian squabbles, bloody or otherwise has little to do with the modern Communist movement's annihilation of any sort of spiritual living. The countless Xtian sects are still Xtian, even if critical of many of their brethren.

Dude, some of the hardcore Christians I know would stuff your lotus up your ass if they knew you were a Buddhist. For the past three months, every day after my monthly protector practices, I get trash thrown in my front yard by the God loving Christians in my neighbourhood. I guess the drum rolls are too much for them.

Communism kills & extinguishes the spirit in mankind more effectively & deliberately than any other movement.

No, ignorance, of whichever political or religious denomination, does that.

"My religion is not deceiving myself."Jetsun Milarepa 1052-1135 CE

"Butchers, prostitutes, those guilty of the five most heinous crimes, outcasts, the underprivileged: all are utterly the substance of existence and nothing other than total bliss."The Supreme Source - The Kunjed Gyalpo
The Fundamental Tantra of Dzogchen Semde

Xtian squabbles, bloody or otherwise has little to do with the modern Communist movement's annihilation of any sort of spiritual living. The countless Xtian sects are still Xtian, even if critical of many of their brethren.

Communism kills & extinguishes the spirit in mankind more effectively & deliberately than any other movement.

Dude, you give communism way, way too much power. It's [expletive to be supplied by your imagination] done. There is no more communism anymore, nor is it possible anymore. Corporations have amassed far too much wealth to ever permit anything like a communist revolution, save an absolute collapse of the world economy, in which they will be powerless to respond in any case.

You really should be worried far more by Fascists. They're the one's who will kill the press, close government offices, restrict access to government...oh, wait, this is the [expletive to be supplied by your imagination] Trump administration where all of this is happening right now.

The different sūtras in accord with the emptiness
taught by the Sugata are definitive in meaning;
One can understand that all of those Dharmas in
which a sentient being, individual, or person are taught are provisional in meaning.